The difference of cheap and expensive cameras? [Archive] - AusPhotography:: Australia's Premier Photography Forum::

georgegowan

27-04-2010, 6:47pm

As it says in my sig, I have a Canon 1000D... I've been wondering lately what the huge difference between my entry level DSLR and say, a 40D is.

I've got a friend who owns a 40D, and he treats it like a point and shoot. Not trying to sound up myself or anything, but I do obviously get better shots than him. I've just been wondering, what is the difference besides features? Will my camera have worse colours? Worse image quality? Worse sharpness?

If I swapped cameras with him for a day, would my photos be very different? (not taking lenses into account)

kiwi

27-04-2010, 6:54pm

It depends, more high end camera usually have better sensors, greater dynamic range, better af systems and better noise

I still think it's mostly camera person, then lens, then body

DAdeGroot

27-04-2010, 6:56pm

The main differences (from memory) between the 40D and 1000D, is that the 40D has two extra focus points (9 instead of 7) and the 40D has better build quality and is a larger camera (thus better ergonomics for people with larger hands).

Picture quality wise, the 40D may have slightly less noise at higher ISOs.

georgegowan

27-04-2010, 7:03pm

This all sounds good to me. I don't use high ISO much, I have small hands and I can live with 2 less focus points :th3:

Kym

27-04-2010, 7:05pm

Any modern DSLR can deliver great results.
More is dependant on your lenses than the camera body in that regard.
Good fast glass makes a BIG difference.

georgegowan

27-04-2010, 7:08pm

Any modern DSLR can deliver great results.
More is dependant on your lenses than the camera body in that regard.
Good fast glass makes a BIG difference.

Hopefully I'm going to get some nice results with the 10-22 I'm about to buy ;)

pupmeister

27-04-2010, 7:35pm

georgegowan

27-04-2010, 9:05pm

Do not underestimate the difference in cameras in focusing abilities between the 40D and 1000D, it is not just the extra two focusing points but also the speed at which it focuses on your selected points. I went from a 450D to a 7D and my keeper rate when shooting high speed action is now phenomenal (while using the same lenses).

However in my opinion the person behind the camera is still the most important element in getting the shot, then the lens and finally in a distant third comes the camera body.

Cheers
Stephen

That is something to note and keep in mind.
Although, I'm very rarely needing to focus quickly .etc as I'm almost always shooting landscapes so at this point, I see no need for a new body for what I'm doing

Thanks everyone for throwing in your 2¢ :) Helpful as usual :th3:

peterking

27-04-2010, 10:35pm

Do not underestimate the difference in cameras in focusing abilities between the 40D and 1000D, it is not just the extra two focusing points but also the speed at which it focuses on your selected points. I went from a 450D to a 7D and my keeper rate when shooting high speed action is now phenomenal (while using the same lenses).

However in my opinion the person behind the camera is still the most important element in getting the shot, then the lens and finally in a distant third comes the camera body.

Cheers
Stephen

I'm similar. Just gone from a 350D to a 7D but also better lenses. Mostly I do high speed sport in the right season but right now doing everything else.
Extremely happier with the results from the 7D.

ricktas

28-04-2010, 7:24am

Weather sealed, faster AF (as mentioned). High ISO is not the only way to introduce noise, long exposures also do. But agree that the photographer is the most important part. We often see members wanting to upgrade to take 'better' photos. When what really needs to happen is the member themselves needs to upgrade their skills, not gear.

I know a person who has about $50K of camera gear (Canon) but never takes it off Auto and his photos could have been taken with a $200.00 point and shoot. He loves to get his pelican cases out and show people all his gear, but I have yet to see a photo I would say was good. In fact, the only time I have seen him use the camera is when he gets all the gear out to show people what he as got. He so far has refused to even consider joining AP, cause he is to busy to take photos :confused013 Don't get caught up in the gear-head gang, learn how to make your camera work for you, push it to its limits, and when you find your photos are being let down by gear, then is the time to upgrade.

Learn how to use your existing gear to its limits, ask here on AP, about upgrades (like you did in this thread), and you will upgrade when needed and with confidence.

OzzieTraveller

28-04-2010, 8:00am

G'day George

After 40+ yrs of SLR use, I no longer use one ~ my preference entirely ~ as I motorhome travel Oz for 6-8 months each year, so size, space & weight is very important to me

My pany FZ-30 "superzoom" does me quite well, although sometimes I get results that are less than perfect, and sometimes it can't do things that other dSLRs can do easily

To mis-quote what others have said above - "tis not the hardware ... it's the software" ~ it's the skill of the player, not the clubs or racquet or running shoes that makes the difference

Regards, Phil

ving

28-04-2010, 9:10am

i was going to state all the above but wont bother now...

mostly it comes down to the user. you are obviously a better photographer than your mate.
I have a lowly nikon d40 and i can quite honestly say i am not ashamed of my photos. its not just the camera, its the person behind it.

...that said my d40 only does 2-3 fps in 3 shot bursts in raw mode...

Luna-blu

28-04-2010, 5:33pm

Kiwi is right, operator, lens then body.
All the above is also true re. focus, processing, noise at high iso etc.

However, I stepped up from a nikon D50 to a D90 and found the more buttons on the the outside, the less menu searching on the inside = easier to use = more time taking photos.

my 2 cents worth.

JM Tran

28-04-2010, 5:44pm

buy a pro body which has no Auto mode and u wont be classified as an Auto mode shooter!!!!!

hahaha jk:)

Jeanette

28-04-2010, 5:55pm

I know a person who has about $50K of camera gear (Canon) but never takes it off Auto and his photos could have been taken with a $200.00 point and shoot. He loves to get his pelican cases out and show people all his gear, but I have yet to see a photo I would say was good. In fact, the only time I have seen him use the camera is when he gets all the gear out to show people what he as got. He so far has refused to even consider joining AP, cause he is to busy to take photos :confused013 Don't get caught up in the gear-head gang, learn how to make your camera work for you, push it to its limits, and when you find your photos are being let down by gear, then is the time to upgrade.

Learn how to use your existing gear to its limits, ask here on AP, about upgrades (like you did in this thread), and you will upgrade when needed and with confidence.

oh Kym this is too funny ... i know a few people like this with other issues in their lives..
so lovely to hear many of you say it is about the person and making your camera work and learning about the photography... I still am so proud of many of my point and shoot cannon photos as i rarely used auto and used what i had to the limit.. (of course wishing for a new one) but I am glad i am doing it this way not like the above mentioned :)
but of course love my new DSLR :)

happy snapping :)

tomtom1

28-04-2010, 6:02pm

Better body/lens might make it easier to take better photos in difficult conditions.

Good filters are something that can enhance your images quite a bit though.

pgbphotographytas

18-05-2010, 12:20pm

Don't get caught up being a gear head, the photographer is much more important :th3:

dowden photography

18-05-2010, 10:30pm

theres a girl at uni who has a 7D all we hear is how great the camera is, her work well would be in the worst 10% in the whole school.

My girlfriend uses my camera in class, other than that she shoots on a 15 year old film camera, her work would be in the top 10% in the whole school.

We also have a teacher who has given up all cameras other than his iphone, his work is amazing.

Cameras mean shit, lenses mean a little something but its the photographer that does the work.

ravescar

19-05-2010, 8:37am

Higher end camera may gives you more flexibility and allow you to do more especially in low light and may deliver better image quality.

However a bad photo with good image quality is still a bad photo.

The key is know when, where and how to take a good photo, and a camera won't help you much with this.

bigdazzler

19-05-2010, 10:31am

We also have a teacher who has given up all cameras other than his iphone, his work is amazing.

Please .... that could be the most ridiculous thing ive read on here in a while. Whilst I agree with you that the photographers skills are absolutely the most important factor in good photography, to suggest an iphone camera will produce the quality of a high resolution DSLR is ludicrous mate.

I dont doubt the work hes producing from his iphone is impressive, but I highly doubt the images themselves would compare with that a skilled photographer using a DSLR of any kind.

To the OP ... what kiwi said ^^^^ 1. togs skills 2. lens 3. body , as a general rule.

bigdazzler

19-05-2010, 10:34am

Don't get caught up being a gear head, the photographer is much more important :th3:

if only you followed your own advice Paulie .... ;)

OzzieTraveller

19-05-2010, 6:32pm

G'day all

My 2-bob's worth to this debate ~ see my signature line ...
Regards, Phil

kiwi

19-05-2010, 6:35pm

Please .... that could be the most ridiculous thing ive read on here in a while. Whilst I agree with you that the photographers skills are absolutely the most important factor in good photography, to suggest an iphone camera will produce the quality of a high resolution DSLR is ludicrous mate.

I dont doubt the work hes producing from his iphone is impressive, but I highly doubt the images themselves would compare with that a skilled photographer using a DSLR of any kind.

To the OP ... what kiwi said ^^^^ 1. togs skills 2. lens 3. body , as a general rule.

Seen chase Jarvis's iPhone photo book ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bigdazzler

19-05-2010, 7:10pm

Seen chase Jarvis's iPhone photo book ?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yep .. all very artistic and all that and looks great in lo res on the web (even the super blurry ones), but that wasnt really the point of my post

kiwi

19-05-2010, 7:12pm

yep .. all very artistic and all that and looks great in lo res on the web, but that wasnt really the point of my post

It's more than the web, it's s published book. Iq is crap tho, lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bigdazzler

19-05-2010, 7:16pm

yea I just meant Ive only seen the web version, havent seen the book ... The pictures are great, but at the end of the day it is only an iphone. The ones taken in low light, are I suppose you could say, creatively "grainy" :D

Lili

20-05-2010, 1:58pm

Well this thread has certainly given me a lot to think about. I'm only just looking to get into dSLR photography, I don't currently have a camera and had fallen hard in love with the Pentax K7, but I'm thinking now it might be wiser to get a more basic second hand body, try and find some nice lenses and see what I can do with that first...

Thanks for asking the question George :)

Kym

20-05-2010, 3:59pm

An aspect that some people forget ... physics!
And the number one control of the physics of light is the lens.

Yes, you need someone with skill to make use of good glass and a good camera,
but that skilled person can do much more with good gear than they can with an iPhone.
They (the skilled person) may also be able to do more with an iPhone than a complete beginner
with a DSLR with everything.

Back to basic physics/optics...
The size of the lens (diameter of the objective) is critical to the ability to gather light.
The quality of the lens and coatings have a huge bearing on image quality.
Why does the diameter of the lens/mirror of a telescope matter so much?
It's all about gathering light!
Hence a 500/4 costs a bomb :D

@Lili ... There is lots of great glass to go with a Pentax K-7 or even a 2nd hand K200D, K20D, K10 and so forth.
Not to mention the K-x as a budget body.

quangsta

20-05-2010, 6:27pm

alot of people even including myself believe the order of importance is the shooter, lens and then the body. but thats not to say that an upgrade to a newer 'better' camera body wont help.

i went from a d50 to a d700 which is extreme but it made a huge difference.

honestly though there are so many factors for different situations to make your photos better, so think about what you shoot most and buy accordingly. i like to shoot alot of candid and portrait type of shots mainly indoor, so i brought a fast lens and a flash. if i was to shoot landscape i would probably invest in a tripod and good wide angle. so many more combinations but with anything its only as good as the weakest link.

mikew09

20-05-2010, 6:35pm

I can defiantly say the noice control is far better on the 40D than the 400D, not sure how it rates agains the 1000D. I can say one thing though, when I bolted my L onto my mate 50D it took the lens to another hole new level. Have to agree a lot is within the glass, but the camera (I' taking Canon) will have some ration of effect.

etherial

20-05-2010, 6:42pm

For a lot of people and particularly beginners the only difference between a cheap and expensive camera is the price.

georgegowan

05-09-2010, 10:20am

crafty1tutu

05-09-2010, 11:50am

I agree about it being the person first, then the lens and then the body as I have seen wonderful photos taken with a 350D entry level camera. But on the other hand after replacing my 400D with a 50D, the difference in the photos was amazing, especially with noise.

ricktas

05-09-2010, 11:57am

Well, It's 5 months later now and I've upgraded from the 1000D to a 50D. I can say it has a better range between highlights and lowlights and a lot less noise in photos. I also noticed the 1000D had some weird problems with keeping detail in reds and oranges - especially in clouds at sunset. Haven't had a chance to compare the 50D in that situation yet, but I'm VERY happy I upgraded ;)

And there you go. The fact you understand the differences and noise and how it affects your photos shows that you learnt a lot from having the 1000D. You would also have acquired some creativity along the way, including an understanding of composition etc. Many people will buy a consumer level DSLR and never understand anything about highlights etc, it is only those that want to progress their photography and learn the limitations of their gear and how it affects the photos that will 'see' what you have done.

Upgrading is only worthwhile when there is a reason and understanding of what the upgrade will do to improve ones photography, that is caused by the restrictions and limitations of the current gear.